Colorado construction company returns to roots

Colorado-founded GE Johnson Construction Company is establishing a presence in the Kansas City metro and bringing it back to where it all began.

The relationship-focused construction company is currently building out their new office in Lenexa, Kan. and hopes to begin occupying the space by the end of September.

The Kansas City office is being led by Derek Cox. who recently joined GE Johnson with more than 17 years of industry experience and extensive knowledge of the local market.

“What is fascinating about GE Johnson, a Colorado firm, is that it has roots in Kansas, where founder Gil Johnson and his son, current president and CEO Jim Johnson, were born. The culture at GE Johnson is built on ingenuity and relationships; we truly care about our employees, clients, and community. GE Johnson is a perfect fit for the Kansas City region, and I am excited to lead our efforts here,” said Cox.

In addition to their Kansas roots, both Gil and Jim Johnson are K-State graduates.

The company, who focuses on advanced technology, higher education, mixed-use and government & civic projects, is jumping in with both feet on notable, local project Advent Health South. Located at 165th and Antioch in the Bluhawk development in Overland Park, Kan., the $150 million hospital expansion is slated for completion in late 2021.

The team also recently added Kathleen Ismert Allen as a business development manager. Since starting the Kansas City office in October 2019, the local group has grown to a staff of fifteen.

Other GE Johnson locations include their headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo.; and offices in Denver and Vail, Colo., Jackson, Wyo. and Oklahoma City, Okla.

Incite Design Studio hires leadership team for new Overland Park office

Incite Design Studio, LLC (iDS), a client-focused architectural design firm, has hired a new leadership team to open its third office.

The recent office addition, located in downtown Overland Park, Kan. at 7930 Santa Fe Drive, will join the firm’s two other offices in Kansas City, Mo. at 110 West 18th Street and in St. Louis, Mo. at 1800 Lafayette Avenue.                                                 

Brian Foxworthy, president of iDS, also recently announced his team for the new Overland Park office. Architect, Duane Cash will lead the team as office director to manage and grow the firm’s efforts in Kansas. Project manager, Mike Brown and job captain, Ariel Peisen Burow will join Cash.  

Foxworthy, who has built the firm from the grassroots into one of the largest education-focused firms based in Kansas City, says he is happy to have found someone with the same core values as himself (in Cash).

“Cash believes in forming relationships and building a practice based on quality service. When the opportunity presented itself to bring him and his team into the iDS family, I jumped at it. It’s not often you meet a group of like-minded folks that understand your vision of success and share your dedication to designing inspiring spaces for our future learners. We couldn’t be more excited to see what the future holds for our firm” Foxworthy said.

Following the firm’s tagline of “architects building relationships,” iDS has developed lasting relationships with school districts across the state of Missouri. The opening of incite Design Studio Kansas shows the commitment to forming relationships with districts throughout Kansas as well.

Cash says their goal is to better serve the Kansas education clients with a studio comprised of a few dedicated teams that can be focused on service.

“Our belief is that when firms get too big, they start to lose the agility, responsiveness, and dedication that our clients deserve. With this approach of three studio offices, we provide the muscle of a big firm, but with the individual guidance, creativity, and empathy of a smaller firm,” said Cash. 

“I’m exhilarated by iDS’s dedication to client service, progressive design, student focused learning, and the use of pioneering technology,” said Cash.

The firm is growing in all three offices. Besides opening the Kansas office, they recently hired Aaron Ledesma as a project manager and Connor Privett as an architectural designer in the KC office.  Marena Modica was hired to head up the interior design efforts in the St. Louis office.